Press Releases
Udall, Heinrich, Luján Honor Last Original Navajo Code Talker Chester Nez
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján issued the following statements celebrating the life and service of Chester Nez, the last of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers, who died Wednesday morning, and honoring the historic role the Native American Code Talkers played in the Allied victory in World War II. "The passing of Chester Nez is a solemn moment for the Navajo Nation, the state of New Mexico and our country, and my thoughts are with… Continue Reading
June 03, 2014
A Constitutional Amendment to Save Our Democracy
Step by step, the U.S. Supreme Court is dismantling our campaign finance system. Citizens United gave free speech rights to corporations and special interests. And with the Court's decision in McCutcheon, the super-wealthy have a green light to donate to an unlimited number of candidates. Now a billionaire in one state can influence the elections in 49 other states. It's clearer than ever that we need a constitutional amendment to restore integrity in our election system. Money and free speech a… Continue Reading
June 03, 2014
Senator Tom Udall: Momentum Building for Campaign Finance Reform
WASHINGTON - Today, at 10:30 a.m. ET, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on a proposal by U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) to amend the Constitution and restore power to regulate campaign finance to the people through Congress and the states. Udall's amendment would clarify in the Constitution that money does not equal speech, effectively reversing the Court's decisions in Buckley v. Valeo, Citizens United, and McCutcheon, which have unraveled campaign finance regulations and… Continue Reading
June 02, 2014
Udall Statement on Administration's 'Clean Power Plan'
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, issued the following statement in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to reduce greenhouse gas producing pollution from power plants to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030: "We've seen the impacts of climate change firsthand here in New Mexico. Prolonged droughts, more frequent wildfires and increased threats to forests and agriculture present some of the biggest economic a… Continue Reading
May 30, 2014
Udall Statement on Resignation of VA Secretary Shinseki
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki's decision to step down. "Secretary Shinseki made the right decision today. I have enormous respect for him and his service, but the seriousness of the mismanagement and culture of deception at VA facilities is unacceptable and a betrayal of our veterans in New Mexico and nationwide. The only way to restore accountability, transparency and effective management at the VA is with… Continue Reading
May 29, 2014
Udall Calls on VA Secretary Shinseki to Resign
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement calling for VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to step down: "Independent investigators at the VA are now confirming what I have been saying for weeks: that the problems at the VA are systemic and rooted in a culture that has rewarded cover-ups and cheating to the point of risking the health of our veterans. What I have heard from New Mexico veterans and read in the OIG report is a betrayal of the heroes who fought for our freedo… Continue Reading
May 28, 2014
Udall Discusses Bills to Improve Border Health and Economic Well-being During Visit to Sunland Park, N.M.
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. - Today, in a visit to New Mexico's southern border, U.S. Senator Tom Udall announced that he is working on two bills to help improve the health and economies of border communities as well as our national security. He discussed the impact the legislation could have on border community health and economic development at a meeting of the Paso del Norte Binational Health Council and a tour of La Clinica de Familia. The first bill, the Border Health Security Act, would strengthen … Continue Reading
May 27, 2014
Udall Highlights Importance of Innovation, Investment to N.M. Job Growth in Speech to Greater Albuquerque Chamber
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Today in a speech to the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted the importance of investments in infrastructure and education to helping strengthen the economy in New Mexico and create jobs. Resources he has fought for - including the grant that helped complete an expansion of the Union Pacific Rail facility in Santa Teresa - have fueled economic growth. Udall will speak Wednesday at the… Continue Reading
May 27, 2014
Udall Statement on Defense Department Decision to Allow SunZia Transmission Line
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - U.S. Senator Tom Udall issued the following statement on the Department of Defense agreement to rescind its objection to the SunZia transmission line through a part of the "call-up area" north of the White Sands Missile Range. "The long-term viability of the White Sands Missile Range and the future of renewable energy development in New Mexico are both crucial to our state's economy and our national security. Throughout this long process I've urged DoD, Interior, and SunZia … Continue Reading
May 23, 2014
PHOTO: Udall, Heinrich Join Secretary Jewell and 100s of New Mexicans to Celebrate Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and hundreds of Doña Ana County advocates gathered at Oñate High School to celebrate the proclamation designating the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument. Additional photos of the day's events will be available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usinterior/with/14241019314/ The Senators issued the following statements: Udall: "This is a great day for New Mexico -- thanks… Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Welcome Confirmation of Damon Martinez as U.S. Attorney for N.M.
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich joined the Senate in voting unanimously to confirm Damon P. Martinez to be U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. Martinez has served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney since 2001 and as acting U.S. Attorney since March 2014. He is highly experienced in cases concerning national security and anti-terrorism, immigration and narcotics. The senators recommended Martinez for the position of U.S. Attorney in an April 26, 2013, letter to… Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks
New Mexico has a new national monument that will put the unique and spectacular desert landscapes of Southern New Mexico on recreation maps around the world. The creation of the national monument finally puts into motion a plan that began with the people of Southern New Mexico, who wanted to ensure these special places would continue to be available for local families and visitors to hike, hunt, and learn from the hundreds of significant historic sites throughout the area for generations to come… Continue Reading
May 21, 2014
Udall, Heinrich: Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks Officially a National Monument
WASHINGTON - Today, New Mexicans celebrated the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Proclamation that was signed by President Barack Obama. Retired U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and community leaders from New Mexico joined the president and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell for the signing ceremony at the Department of Interior. PHOTO LINK: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usinterior/14239762394/in/set-72157644369227019/ "The people o… Continue Reading
May 19, 2014
Udall, Heinrich Welcome White House Announcement To Designate Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks A National Monument
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statements today after the White House announced President Obama's plan to sign a proclamation designating the Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks in southern New Mexico as a national monument: "The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument will put the unique and spectacular desert landscapes of Southern New Mexico on recreation maps around the world, attracting tourists to the region, creating jo… Continue Reading
May 15, 2014
Udall Responds to Further Allegations of VA Mismanagement, Encourages N.M. Veterans, VA Employees to Report Concerns
WASHINGTON - Today, as Veterans Secretary Eric Shinseki testified before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee about allegations that VA employees in Phoenix and possibly elsewhere were covering up excessive wait times for appointments, U.S. Senator Tom Udall reiterated his concerns about whether similar practices might be happening in New Mexico. He urged veterans, VA employees and anyone with related information to report it to the VA Office of Inspector General (VA OIG) or to his Senate offic… Continue Reading
May 15, 2014
Udall Joins Committee in Passing Transportation Bill that Invests in Infrastructure, Boosts Jobs in N.M.
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall voted as a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to approve a major transportation bill, which funds 70 percent of New Mexico highways and bridges and provides almost half of the total transportation dollars spent in the state. The hearing was a critical step toward reauthorization of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), which renews transportation policy and funding for another six years. With the Highway Trust… Continue Reading
May 15, 2014
Udall Recognizes National Small Business Week, Introduces IGNITE Act to Help Entrepreneurs Save
WASHINGTON - In celebration of National Small Business Week, U.S. Senator Tom Udall recognized the over 150,000 small business owners across New Mexico, who create jobs and make up almost 96 percent of the state's employers. In their honor, Udall also unveiled a new bill to help continue to build and strengthen New Mexico's small business community. The Incentivize Growth Now In Tomorrow's Entrepreneurs (IGNITE) Act will help ease the challenge many entrepreneurs face accessing credit to pay th… Continue Reading
May 14, 2014
Udall Hosts New Mexico Conservation Leader at U.S. Capitol for Discussion on Outdoor Recreation, Jobs and Economic Growth
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) hosted New Mexico Wildlife Federation Executive Director Garrett VeneKlasen for a discussion on how the federal government can partner with local sportsmen and conservation leaders to support America's tourism economy, create jobs and protect access to public land for preservation and recreational opportunities. The meeting was held before the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee at the U.S. Capitol. For photos of the meeting, click he… Continue Reading
May 14, 2014
Udall Welcomes Dr. Oz's Endorsement of PHYSICAL Act to Promote Health & PE in Schools
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) welcomed an endorsement by Dr. Mehmet Oz, vice-chairman and professor of surgery at Columbia University, co-founder of HealthCorps and host of the Emmy Award-winning television program "The Dr. Oz Show," of Udall's legislation aimed at increasing access to effective health and physical education (PE) programs in schools across the country. As part of his efforts to pass the PHYSICAL Act, Udall is also asking communities in New Mexico to share st… Continue Reading
May 14, 2014
Senators Push CFPB to Crack Down on Predatory Payday Loans
WASHINGTON - In a letter sent to the Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today, six Senators - Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) - pushed the bureau to take new action to protect consumers from predatory storefront and online payday loans. The letter arrives as the CFPB prepares rules for the small dollar lending market. Each day, a large n… Continue Reading
